Top 20 Baby Must Haves

A girlfriend of mine wanted to know what items, besides the BIG ones (e.g. stroller, car seat, crib, glider, high chair etc.), I considered necessary when getting ready for baby. There is just so much out there that I thought it necessary to consolidate - twenty sounded like a good number so I stuck with it.

01. bibs, bibs and more bibs. not the tiny newborn cutesy kind, the larger ones that actually work. charlotte had a double chin and she plumped up so quickly that the little bibs simply did not fit. burp cloths too. we still go through tons of bibs and burp cloths a day. babies are drooly. these work and wash really well for daily wear and these are great for (solid food) feeding time.

02. start stocking up on diapers AND wipes. we are pampers people. they work well for girls. i have heard though that huggies seem to work better for boys.

03.* a really good bottle brush. this one is necessary. all others we tried fell apart. buy 3 of them.

04.* a really good drying rack. can't find the one we have online. whichever option you do go with, be sure it accommodates all the teensy bottle parts really well.

* these items are always good to have even if you start out breastfeeding. a bottle brush and drying rack are small items that can be stored until you need them.

05. pacifier clip. can't tell you how many times a baby will spit it out, onto the floor only to send you to the sink to rinse. they are somewhat tacky, but they work. get the baby gund pacifier clip(s). i tried lots and we didn't like most because they were made of cheap plastic.

06. wipes warmer. most people either hate 'em or love 'em. there seems to be no in between. charlotte HATED, and i mean HATED being changed until Mimi bought her a wipes warmer. you will need to keep a little distilled water on hand to dampen the EverFresh pillow.

07. diaper champ. NOT a diaper genie. diaper champs let you use any sort of trash bag (we use scented ones). you apparently have to buy specific bags for the genie and it looks like a gigantic poo sausage when you pull it out.

08. boppy bare naked with slipcover

09. a travel sized swing and/or a bouncer. some babies hate swinging and like bouncing and vice versa. we had the room so we had both. on the contrary, i would not recommend a full-size swing because they take up a HUGE amount of space. we have a swing similar to this one and this bouncer. the bouncer was by far one of the most cheapest items and she loved it the most. we didn't even use the battery / vibrate feature. she did the bouncing all by herself.

10. bath tub-to-seat. it's great for on-the-counter baths AND it converts to a seat that attaches securely to the side of the tub for when your little can sit up by themselves.

11. nail clippers. i don't use the magnifier but it is there if you want it.

12. breast pump. they are so expensive, but so worth it. if you can borrow one from a friend - do it. i did (and bought a replacement set of tubes so everything was clean). i recommend the Medela Pump In Style Advanced BackPack. very easy to use. a simple black backpack conceals everything. i traveled with this bugger to and from work everyday for 4 months.

13. footie pajamas with snaps. lots of these in different sizes; they grow out of them quickly. once you hit size 12+ months, you'll have to switch to zippered footies. they don't seem to make larger sizes with snaps, at least not that i can find. (FYI - snaps are just my preference because i'm always afraid i'll pinch charlotte's skin with zippers - she is squirmy).

14. exersaucer

15. hooded towels

16. nasal aspirator. be sure to KEEP THE BLUE ONE THE HOSPITAL GIVES YOU! this one should keep for awhile - be sure to rinse it with a mild salt water solution after using to keep it clean and sanitized.

17. baby carrier of some sort. we have a hotsling and we have a bjorn. charlotte did not care for the hotsling - i think it was too small for me and did not give her enough room; she looked smooshed. charlotte loved the bjorn but quickly grew out of it. i always wished that i had gotten a ring sling - perhaps for baby #2. this guide is a great, succinct reference to keep handy when considering babywearing - like everything else, there are a ton of options out there and it can get really frustrating and confusing.

18. a baby monitor. this is the one we have. it's great, never had any problems with it.

19. a roomy diaper bag. the jessica messenger has a regular shoulder strap, plus a set of straps that allow you to carry it as a back pack (which i usually always do) AND it even has another set of straps so you can attach it to the stroller.

update - for my first mother's day, daddy and the little lady gifted me with this one. there is no turning back. it's. the. ultimate.

20. puppy pads to cover the nursery changing pad and public changing stations. i realize this sounds absolutely ridiculous, BUT THEY WORK. can't tell you how many times charlotte tinkled while on the changing table (cold air). i stumbled upon a pack of leftover, oversized puppy pads we had for daisy and chopper and thought it would be a perfect stand-in for the one cotton liner we ALWAYS had to wash. if it gets soiled just pitch it. no worries when the stains don't come out! they are also great to cover public restroom changing surfaces. i have found that most diaper bag changing pads are NOT nearly large enough to cover such nasty, germy surfaces. we always have two or three on-hand when traveling.

If you find that a link above does not work, please let me know and I will update it!